Ebony, Ivory, O RLY? The Top 10 Unexpected Black & White Animals

Just as no one expects the Spanish Inquisition, no one expects certain "informally attired" animals to sport the classy tuxedo look 24-7. So forget Fifty Shades Of Grey and the monotone middle ground, these ten creatures say black and white are just all right!

Black Clownfish

Finding Nemo just got harder, unless you happen to be colorblind that is. Though many Black Clownfish display a hint or orange around the face, there are a wide range of color combinations available from nearly full Nemo orange & white down to strictly bi-colored specimens. (Black & White animal image via Eldiel)

Bald-faced Hornet

Everyone knows bees, wasps and hornets display black and yellow colors to let potential predators know they don't appreciate being predated upon... and are fully prepared to prove it. The Bald-faced Hornet didn't get that memo but be advised the lack of yellow doesn't mean they act any differently when they're annoyed. (Black & White animal image via Academic)

Piebald Squirrel

One squirrel two squirrel black squirrel white squirrel – add a little “birds & the bees” and you've got yourself a piebald squirrel! This Holsteinish nut-gatherer isn't commonly spotted, and you can interpret that any way you like. (Black & White animal image via Flatrock)

Black & White Crow

While it doesn't make a great band name, black & white crows are as noisy, pesky and intelligent as their coal-black caw-sins. Curiously, the lack of pigmentation that characterizes these bi-colored birds often extends to their beaks. (Black & White animal image via Ghul Mil Ke Geo)

Black & White California King Snake

The California King Snake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) is a popular pet, and the incredibly wide variety of colors they can display is probably the main reason for that status. Who would want to have a legless reptile that resembles a deadly Sea Snake in their home? Honestly, who wouldn't? (Black & White animal image via Adashinoren)

Gray Treefrog

The Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) isn't always devoid of typically frog-like coloration; much like chameleons they can adjust the strength of the green pigment in their skin to best match the background they're resting on. If said background happens to be concrete or pavement, you won't see any green at all. (Black & White animal image via Learn NC)

Three-spotted Swimmer Crab

Three-spotted Swimmer Crabs come from Australia but oddly enough they're neither deadly nor poisonous – in fact, the slightly ghoulish-looking crustaceans are said to be quite tasty. Maybe so, but “throw another crab on the barbie” doesn't really work for me unless of course the barbie is a Barbie. (Black & White animal image via Queensland Museum)

Royal Palm Turkey

Royal Palm Turkeys are the most recent (1971) heritage turkey breed to be formally recognized by the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection, and a mature and healthy Royal Palm tom with its metallic black and snow white plumage is definitely a sight to behold! (Black & White animal image via The Columbus Dispatch)

Black-spotted Nudibranch

I say nudibranch, you say sea slug, let's call the whole thing off... or call it Ceratophyllidia papilligera if we want to impress our sci-fi high society friends. This particular nudibranch (really, “sea slug” just doesn't due these amazing creatures justice) is native to the Gulf of Mexico and those black spots are NOT caused by oil. (Black & White animal image via Wikipedia/Nick Hobgood)

Panda Bat

As God is my witness I thought pandas could fly... and indeed they can, sort of. The Panda Bat (Niumbaha superba) is one of the world's most recently discovered species. Found by chance in the Bangangai Game Reserve, the discovery of the exquisitely striped and spotted bat is a rare piece of good news to emerge from the war-torn nation of South Sudan. (Black & White animal image via Huffington Post)

In a world where all creatures great and small display all the colors of the rainbow (though not all at once), a precious few think outside the spectrum and that's a GOOD thing... as long as they're not accompanied by any audio Ebony and Ivory. Naturally, neither these creatures nor their colorful cousins care a whit about what shade or shades they're showing. They CAN all get along, so why can't we? (Black & White animal images via Craig the Tigerrrr, top, and CDandLP, above)

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